ABSTRACT:
Collaborative Healthcare Delivery for Everybody Doc-2U medical consults beyond video, medical device streaming remotely

BACKGROUND:
Access to healthcare in South Africa can be divided into two main categories. Approximately 9 million people have access to world-class health care and 52 million people have limited access to healthcare Problem (Poor patient and clinician experience) Many people in rural and semi-rural areas have long distances to travel to access healthcare (even basic primary healthcare), resulting in long travelling times and very high transport costs that they generally can’t afford. Clinicians are reluctant to work in rural areas (Community service). People have traditionally travelled to their nearest hospital/clinic to get healthcare even for basic primary care. When they get to the hospital/clinic they often have to wait hours if not days for some diagnosis. Solution (Improved proposed patient and clinician experience) Healthcare delivery can be decentralized to rural communities thus giving greater access to healthcare and reducing the demand/burden for services at centralized hospital/clinics. Doc-2U is a medical consultation platform with simultaneous live streaming of medical devices (12-lead ECG, Ultrasound, Multiscope (otoscope, dermascope and general lens), Ophthalmoscope, Colposcope, spirometer, blood tests, vitals, stethoscope etc ). The platform can be installed anywhere to allow clinicians from anywhere to do live consultations. The clinical results of the diagnosis can be uploaded to any electronic medical record platform that supports the HL-7 protocol. The clinical skill level differential can be reduced with the ability to upskill lower-level healthcare workers remotely. Doc-2U allows world-class healthcare to be delivered to communities and thus closes the access to healthcare gap between the “haves” and the “have-nots” in South Africa. Both the patient and clinician experiences are dramatically improved.